What Now? With Trevor NoahKareem Rahma: The Cost of the Attention Economy
Episode Details
EPISODE INFO
- Released
- May 14, 2026
- Duration
- 2h 4m
- Channel
- What Now? With Trevor Noah
- Watch on YouTube
- ▶ Open ↗
EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Trevor Noah sits down with comedian and creator Kareem Rahma to talk about the strange reality of subway fame and the unexpected success of his hit series Keep the Meter Running and Subway Takes. From New York survival stories to strong opinions about culture, behavior, and city life, the conversation moves easily between the observational and the personal. Along the way, the two explore modern storytelling in an era of digital deception, and why people still respond to the power of a good story well told. If you haven't already.... Subscribe to the channel here: http://bit.ly/SubscribeTrevorNoah Or follow the podcast on your other favorite platforms... SiriusXM Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnApplePodcasts Spotify - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnSpotify 00:00 - Intro 01:20 - Walking While Eating in New York 02:07 - Becoming “The Guy” Everyone Recognizes on the Subway 03:18 - Trevor Discovers Kareem Is an E-Bike Guy 04:50 - Why So Much Internet Content Feels Empty Now 06:18 - The Problem With Viral-First Short Form Content 08:23 - The Rise of Fake “Independent” Media Companies 10:58 - Why Original Ideas Still Stand Out Online 15:02 - The Berenstain Bears & The Mandela Effect 17:41 - What the Mandela Effect Actually Is 24:30 - Why Kareem Thinks Hanging Out Is a Skill 31:40 - University, Community & Meeting Different People 42:01 - The Funniest Moments Happen Naturally 42:22 - Why Kareem Chooses Guests Based on Vibes, Not Followers 52:40 - Why People Miss Disagreeing Without Hating Each Other 01:04:29 - Trevor Noah’s Extremely Formal Text Messages 01:06:49 - Feeling Like a Failure at 33 01:07:13 - Turning “Hanging Out” Into a Career 01:12:55 - Bringing Keep The Meter Running Back 01:13:57 - Learning Life Advice From Strangers 01:20:10 - Why Taxi Drivers Always Have an Opinion 01:32:45 - Why Comedians Laugh at Different Moments 02:02:06 - The Comeback of the Bit 02:03:25 - Trevor Explains Why He Likes Recording Conversations Naturally 02:04:10 - Outro
SPEAKERS
Kareem Rahma
guestCreator and host known for short-form street-interview shows including “Subway Takes” and “Keep the Meter Running.”
Trevor Noah
hostComedian and TV host; host of the podcast “What Now? With Trevor Noah.”
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of What Now? With Trevor Noah, featuring Kareem Rahma and Trevor Noah, Kareem Rahma: The Cost of the Attention Economy explores kareem Rahma and Trevor Noah unpack attention economy’s cultural costs Noah and Rahma argue that much of today’s internet content is engineered for virality and retention rather than made to express an idea, resulting in “empty” media that feels interchangeable.
RELATED EPISODES
